Amending regulations on classification of road vehicles

Add more types of vehicles

According to the draft Circular, motor vehicles include automobiles, trailers, semi-trailers, four-wheeled motor vehicles, four-wheeled motor vehicles, motorbikes, mopeds and vehicles similar to the above-mentioned vehicles.

Thus, compared to current regulations, motor vehicles are supplemented with some other types of vehicles such as: four-wheeled motorized passenger vehicles, four-wheeled motorized cargo vehicles. In addition, tractors are removed to be regulated in the group of specialized vehicles.

The Ministry of Transport is soliciting comments on a draft classification of road vehicles including: Motor vehicles; specialized motorbikes and rudimentary vehicles (illustrative photo).

In which, automobiles include vehicles with four or more wheels running on engines, designed and manufactured to operate on roads, not running on rails, used to transport people, goods, pull trailers, pull semi-trailers or are structured to perform special functions and uses, and can be connected to power lines; three-wheeled vehicles with a gross weight of more than 400kg; automobiles do not include four-wheeled passenger vehicles with engines and four-wheeled cargo vehicles with engines.

Automobiles are classified into groups: Group of passenger cars with 9 seats or more (including the driver); Group of passenger cars with 10 seats or more (including the driver); Group of specialized passenger cars; Group of common trucks including types of cars with structures and equipment mainly used to transport goods; Group of specialized trucks including types of cargo cars with structures and equipment to perform a special function or use; Group of specialized cars; Tractors; Trailers (excluding cargo cars equipped with a towing mechanism; tractors additionally equipped with a towing mechanism).

For trailers, they are vehicles without engines to move, designed and manufactured to operate on roads, pulled by cars, including: Passenger trailers; Cargo trailers; Specialized trailers.

Semi-trailers are vehicles without engines for movement, designed and manufactured to operate on roads; pulled by tractors and with a significant portion of the total mass placed on the tractor. Semi-trailers are also classified into: Passenger group, cargo group and special purpose group.

Meanwhile, a four-wheeled motor vehicle is a vehicle with four or more wheels, powered by an engine, designed and manufactured to operate on roads, structured to carry people, with a design speed not exceeding 30km/h, and a maximum permitted number of 15 people (excluding the driver).

A four-wheeled motor vehicle is a vehicle with four or more wheels, powered by an engine, designed and manufactured to operate on roads, structured to carry goods, with the engine and cargo bed mounted on the same chassis, with a maximum of two rows of seats and carrying a maximum of 05 people (excluding the driver), a design speed not greater than 60km/h and a curb weight not greater than 550kg; in the case of a vehicle using an electric motor, the engine capacity is not greater than 15 kW.

Motorcycles include: Vehicles with two or three wheels powered by engines, designed and manufactured to operate on roads, except motorbikes; for three-wheeled vehicles, the weight of the vehicle itself is not greater than 400kg.

A motorbike is a two- or three-wheeled vehicle powered by an engine, designed and manufactured to operate on roads, with a design speed not exceeding 50km/h; if the driving engine is a thermal engine, the working capacity or equivalent capacity is not greater than 50cm3; if the driving engine is an electric engine, the engine capacity is not greater than 04 kW; motorbikes do not include motorized bicycles.

The draft also stipulates a separate article on specialized motorbikes, including the following types: Construction motorbikes (vehicles, machines for earthworks and materials; vehicles, machines and equipment for reinforcing foundations and roads); Agricultural and forestry motorbikes; Tractors; Trailers and semi-trailers pulled by tractors; Motorbikes performing special functions and uses (such as: Group of vehicles, machines and lifting equipment; Group of vehicles, machines and equipment for producing concrete and materials for concrete; Group of vehicles and specialized machines serving in golf courses, entertainment areas, warehouses, ports, yards and in airports); Other types of specialized motorbikes and special vehicles used for defense and security purposes that participate in road traffic.

For rudimentary vehicles, the draft Circular stipulates that they include: Bicycles (with at least two wheels and operated by human power through pedals or hand cranks); Motorized bicycles, including electric bicycles (bicycles with engine assistance, the power source from the engine is cut off when the driver stops pedaling or when the vehicle reaches a speed of 25km/h); Pedicabs; Wheelchairs for the disabled; Animal-drawn vehicles.

Four-wheeled motor vehicles are proposed to be classified as motor vehicles, in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety (illustrative photo).

Comply with the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order

According to the Vietnam Register, currently, detailed regulations on the classification of road motor vehicles in particular and road vehicles in general are stipulated in many different sub-law documents, leading to inconsistent and even conflicting contents, causing difficulties for state management in many areas.

For example, four-wheeled motor vehicles for transporting people/goods; specialized motorbikes are currently regulated in many different separate documents, not included in the regulations on classification of road vehicles in the 2008 Road Traffic Law.

Meanwhile, the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety (effective from January 1, 2025) has added the above vehicles to the regulations on classification of road vehicles (Article 35).

On the other hand, this Law also stipulates that the Minister of Transport shall specify in detail the classification of road vehicles; prescribe signs to identify motor vehicles using clean energy, green energy, and environmental friendliness.

Therefore, the drafting of the above Circular is necessary to ensure consistency in the classification of road vehicles and ensure the legal basis for implementation in accordance with the provisions of law.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/sua-quy-dinh-ve-phan-loai-phuong-tien-giao-thong-duong-bo-19224092711300016.htm